Kim Barker, principal of Tidwell Middle School, has been named Northwest ISD’s new executive director of human resources, a position she will begin at the start of the spring semester in January.

Mrs. Barker brings a wide range of educational experience to her new role, having amassed more than 18 years aiding students across both the elementary and secondary school levels. She brings the unique perspective of having served students at each school level – including teaching at the elementary level and serving as an administrator at the elementary, middle and high school levels.

As the executive director of human resources, Mrs. Barker will oversee the recruitment and hiring of new teachers and staff members across the district as well as retaining existing teachers and staff.

“I look forward to helping Northwest ISD continue its tradition of educational excellence by hiring the best teachers and support personnel available,” Mrs. Barker said. “It’s been an honor leading campuses across the entire academic spectrum, and I look forward to helping support all our campuses – and, more importantly, all our students – in my new role.”

Mrs. Barker began her educational career in 1998 as a teacher at Florence Elementary in Keller ISD. She quickly received accolades for her instruction, earning Keller ISD’s districtwide Elementary Teacher of the Year Award in 2003. She later rose through the administrative ranks at Decatur ISD, serving as an assistant principal at Carson Elementary in 2007 before being named the school’s principal the following year.

After a two-year stint as the principal of Chandler Elementary in Victoria ISD, Mrs. Barker joined Northwest ISD in 2012 as an associate principal at Northwest High School, where she earned regional Assistant Principal of the Year honors from the Texas Association of Secondary School Principals. She has served as Tidwell Middle School’s principal since 2013.

“Kim Barker represents the best that Northwest ISD has to offer, as she leads by example in always putting our kids first,” said Dr. Ryder Warren, superintendent of Northwest ISD. “She’s been a top-tier teacher and administrator, and now she’s going to ensure we get more quality people who meet our district goal of having the best teachers and support staff for our students.”

Mrs. Barker has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Baylor University and a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from the University of Texas at Arlington. She and her husband, Rob, a fellow educator, reside in the district with their son, Tyler.